The medical device industry produces a wide variety of electronic and mechanical devices for treating medical conditions. Depending upon the medical condition, medical devices can be surgically implanted or connected externally to the patient receiving treatment. Clinicians use medical devices alone or in combination with therapeutic substance therapies and surgery to treat medical conditions. For some medical conditions, medical devices provide the best, and sometimes the only, therapy to restore an individual to a more healthful condition and a fuller life.
Various types of medical devices exist to treat a wide variety of conditions. For instance, electrical stimulators such as neurostimulators and microstimulators are used to treat conditions associated with chronic pain, movement disorders, incontinence, gastric disorders, depression, sexual disfunction, and other types of conditions. As another example, devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators are used to treat heart conditions. Still other medical devices deliver substances to a living body, as may be used to treat diabetes, as one example.
Medical devices that deliver electrical stimulation may be provided with therapy delivery elements that comprise one or more stimulation leads. When a stimulation lead is inserted or implanted, it is typically anchored using a lead anchor to fix the stimulation lead to tissue. The lead anchor is provided to prevent the stimulation lead from migrating away from a specifically selected stimulation site.
Anchors may also be beneficially used to secure a therapy delivery element that comprises a catheter at a desired location. Such catheters may be used to deliver a substance to a predetermined position within a body. As was the case with stimulation leads, anchors may be needed to ensure that a catheter does not migrate such that the substance is no longer being delivered at the desired location. Anchors are also beneficial in providing support and structure to a catheter, which may have relatively thin, flexible walls.
Clinicians inserting and anchoring therapy delivery elements typically prefer to perform the procedure rapidly, in a minimally invasive manner, and fix the therapy delivery element in a manner that reduces the opportunity for the therapy delivery element to migrate if practicable. Examples of some previous anchors are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,477 “Adjustable Medical Lead Fixation System” by Knuteson (Oct. 17, 2000); U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,445 “Sacral Lead Anchoring System” by Knuth (Jan. 16, 1996); and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,146. “Adjustable Medical Lead Anchor” by Cross, Jr. (Dec. 1, 1998).
There is a need for an anchor that facilitates minimally invasive procedures, facilitates rapid placement to reduce procedure time, and has many other improvements.